The present invention relates to a multifunctional and energy saving typed image forming apparatus which even a physically handicapped person having a visual disorder can operate easily, and a special switch used in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus.
Due to the multifunctional operation of the image forming apparatus, concerning a power switch, used are two kinds of such switches, one is used on the assumption that it will not be used for normal condition, while the other is used on the assumption that it will be used frequently. An example of the former is a main power switch, and an example of the latter is an operational power supply switch.
When the main power switch is ON, and the operational power switch is OFF, the image forming apparatus is under energy saving condition, and therefore the energy consumption is lower, though the image forming apparatus remains multifunctional.
When the main power switch is ON, and the operational power switch is also ON, and when the image forming apparatus has not been operated for a predetermined time, the apparatus turns itself OFF automatically, by which energy saving can be performed, which is preferable from the point of view of global environmental conservation.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional image forming apparatus. Image forming apparatus 51 is composed of document feeding device 52 which feeds the documents to a unillustrated glass platen, operational section 53, by which a user designates operations to image forming apparatus 51, image forming section 54 which forms images on a transfer sheet, and sheet trays 55 which convey paper sheets, one by one, to image forming section 54.
Operational power supply switch 56 is a push-type switch, provided on operational section 53. The push-type switch is structured so that the power supply is turned on and off by each push, and the button of a push-type switch returns to the original position, accordingly it is impossible to show the condition of ON or OFF by the appearance of the switch.
Main power switch 57 is a seesaw switch. The seesaw switch is structured so that a push to one side is the ON position, and a push to the other side is the OFF position, accordingly a push on the seesaw switch shows whether it is ON or OFF.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus. Condition control section 61 is composed of an unillustrated CPU, a control program of image processing means 62, and a memory device to memorize the control program, and page memory 63 which temporally stores readout images. Control section 53 and document feeding device 52, both of which are also shown in FIG. 5, FAX control section 64, printer control section 65, network interface 66, and image output section 67, are connected to condition control section 61, and all of them function based on instructions from condition control section 61.
FAX control section 64 is a device which sends or receives images through a telephone circuit, and printer control section 65 controls image forming section 54 as well as sheet tray 55, also shown in FIG. 5, and forms the images stored in page memory 63 on the transfer sheet. Condition control section 61 is connected to network interface 66, which is used for forming the images on the transfer sheet by the printing instruction from a computer on a LAN, and is used for sending the image data in page memory 63 to the computer on the LAN.
Image forming apparatus 51 uses a switch for activating or deactivating the primary side voltage, and a switch for activating or deactivating a secondary side voltage. Total control of the power supply of image forming apparatus 51 is realized by activating or deactivating the primary side voltage, while the control of the power supply of the sections, except condition control section 61, FAX control section 64 and network interface 66 is performed by activating or deactivating the secondary side voltage. Main power supply switch 57 is used for turning on and off the primary side voltage, while operational power supply switch 56 is used for turning on or off the secondary side voltage.
ON/OFF operation of operational power supply switch 56 can be directly controlled by condition control section 61. When a FAX or instruction for printing from a computer arrives, while operational power supply switch 56 is off, condition control section 61 can automatically turn on operational power supply switch 56, to printout the received images onto a transfer sheet. Further, when the printing is completed, power is automatically turned off.
If main power switch 57 is turned off, it is impossible to receive a FAX or instruction for printing from the computer, and accordingly, main power switch 57 normally remains in the ON position, and it is not turned off except in special cases, such as when image forming apparatus 51 is transported.
If a switch is used which does not show the on-off condition, such as commonly used operational power supply switch 56, it is almost impossible to recognize the operating condition of image forming apparatus 51 for a physically handicapped person having a visual disorder. A switch that can show the condition of ON/OFF, such as a seesaw switch used in main power supply switch 57 should be used from the point of view of universal design.
When a switch, such as a conventional seesaw switch that shows the ON/OFF condition is used, it is still impossible to control the ON/OFF switch condition by condition control section 61. For its countermeasure, the image data received by FAX control section 64 and network interface 66 is memorized in page memory 63, whereby, when the amount of the data is very large, there is a risk that the memorized data will overflow.
Further, by such a seesaw switch, it is impossible to perform remote control of the power supply of image forming apparatus 51 which is connected to a network environment, and a person must take the trouble to go to image forming apparatus 51 to turn on the power supply, which is rather inconvenient.
Still further, a conventional power supply switch having an electromagnetic reset function, can work only for cutting off the circuit, which cannot be used for the operational power supply switch.
In order to avoid this problem, considered is a method that only ON/OFF switching of control section 53 is performed by operational power supply switch 56, and that the apparatus is activated while operating section 53 is off, whichever the condition of operational power supply switch 56 may be. However this is still not a preferable operating method, because the countermeasure of an abnormal event such as a paper jam can become quite complicated.
Among conventional switches, a switch exists having one directional electromagnet and a permanent magnet, by which the circuit is turned off not only by an electric signal but also by a manual push. However such a switch can be turned from on to off, but cannot be turned from off to on. Accordingly, when information such as a FAX message enters during the energy saving mode (that is, the operational switch is off), it is necessary to save the information in a memory means, or to allow the image forming apparatus to function, though the operational switch is off. In the former case, an enormous volume of memory is necessary, and in the latter case, it is not logical that the machine works though the switch is off.
According to the present invention, the switch can be turned on to off, and off to on, by electrical signals or manual operation. Therefore, for changing to energy saving mode, the operational switch is turned off by manual operation or electrical signals, and when communication information enters from the outside, the operational switch is turned on by the electrical signals to receive the communication information, and when receiving is completed, the operational switch is turned off by electrical signals to be in the energy saving mode. That is, a multifunctional operation is established for the image forming apparatus.
The object of the present invention is to provide a switch that can be activated or disactivated at the condition control section, though it is a switch whose operational condition can be identified and to provide the image forming apparatus employing the switch.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, a switch of the present invention is featured as one employing:
a contact to make and break an electrical circuit, and
an electromagnet, both of which are installed in a case, and
a handle to make and break the contact by operation from outside of the case,
wherein a permanent magnet is installed with one of its poles facing the electromagnet inside of the handle, and wherein
the direction of the current passing through the electromagnet is changed so that the permanent magnets are attracted to or released from the electromagnet, and thereby the contact is opened or closed.
It is also possible to constitute the switch to be the seesaw type switch, and further, to attach permanent magnets with the same pole facing the electromagnet at both ends of the handle.
In order to attain the above-mentioned objective, an image forming apparatus of the present invention is featured as one employing:
an image forming section for forming images on a transfer sheet,
an operational section by which the user activates the image forming apparatus,
a condition control section for controlling the image forming section and the operational section,
a main power supply switch for directly turning on or off a primary side voltage of the image forming apparatus, and
an operational power supply switch that is able to detect the switch condition of a secondary side voltage being turned on or off by the condition control section,
wherein the operational power supply switch is the switch of the present invention.
Further, it is possible to feature an image forming apparatus in that, when the image forming apparatus is not operated for more than a predetermined time interval, though both the main power supply switch and the operational power supply switch are in the ON condition, electrical signals are given to the operational power supply switch so that the switching condition is turned OFF, after which the electric wattage of the image forming apparatus is shifted to a lower consumption condition,
still further, when the image forming apparatus receives operational instructions from the outside, electrical signals are given to the operational power supply switch so that the switch is turned ON, then the electrical wattage of the image forming apparatus is shifted to a higher consumption condition.